Chemical composition and process of preparation and use



United States Patent 3,435,016 CHEMICAL COMPOSITION AND PROCESS OF PREPARATION AND USE Robert E. Rinehart, Wayne, NJ., assignor to Uniroyal, Inc., a corporation of New Jersey No Drawing. Filed June 29, 1966, Ser. No. 561,396 Int. Cl. C081 1/46, 5/00 US. Cl. 260-93.1 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE -A complex of a cyclic olefin, including diolefins and an iridium halide is used to polymerize bicyclic diolefins, norbornadiene, norbornene and derivatives thereof. The complex has the general formula (IrX(R) where X is a halogen, either chlorine or bromine; R is a cyclic olefin or cyclic diolefin radical, either C H or C H and Y is 1 when R is C H and is 2 when R is C H This invention relates to a new catalyst composition, its use in chemical reactions, particularly polymerization reactions. More specifically, the invention teaches a new composition which is a complex of a cyclic olefin, including diolefins, and an iridium halide. These new compositions have the formula [IrX(R) where X is a halogen, either chlorine or bromine; R is a cyclic olefin or cyclic diolefin radical, either C' H or 0 H and y is 1 when R is C H and is 2 when R is C H The compounds of the formula are iridium chloride cyclooctadiene, [IrClC H iridium chloride cyclooctene, [IrCl(C H iridium bromide cyclooctadiene,

and iridium bromide cycloocetene, [IrBr(C H The complexes of the present invention are the reaction products resulting from the interaction of hydrated iridium trichloride and hydrated iridium tribromide with cyclooctene and 1,5-cyclooctadiene. The complexes can be made by reacting the hydrated iridium halides with the cycloolcfin in a mixed solvent system such as an aqueous solution of an alcohol. The preferred solvent system is a mixture of ethyl alcohol and Water. The ratio of water to alcohol should be from 1 to 3 to 3 to 1 on a volume basis.

In making the compounds of the present invention, the hydrated iridium halide is dissolved in the solvent system and a sufficient amount of cycloolefin is added to form two phases. One phase consists initially of the solution of iridium salt in the solvent system with a small account of dissolved cycloolefin. The other phase is primarily the cycloolefin. It may be desirable to add a small amount of an inert solvent such as chloroform, diethyl ether, hexane, cyclohexane or benzene to insure the formation of two phases. The concentration of the hydrated iridium halide in the solvent system should be less than by weight. At concentrations greater than 25%, there is a tendency to form the iridium hydrido chloride cycloolefin complex which is not effective as a polymerization catalyst. The ratio of hydrated iridium halide to cycloolefin in the reaction mixture should be from 0.5 to 3 parts by weight of cycloolefin per part by weight of iridium halide. The preferred range is from 1 to 2 parts by weight cycloolefin per part by weight of hydrated iridium halide.

The reaction mixture is then heated to a temperature in the range of 25 to 75 C. with gentle agitation. The reaction proceeds relatively slowly and a reaction time of from 24 to 48 hours is preferred. The reaction may be allowed to continue for up to 240 hours. The

3,435,016 Patented Mar. 25, 1969 product is recovered by cooling the reaction vessel and separating the solid product from the solvent system. The product may be purified by washing with a lower molecular weight alcohol such as methanol.

The complexes of the present invention have been found to be useful as polymerization catalysts. They have been found to be effective catalysts for the polymerization of bicyclic diolefins and olefins such as norbornadiene; norbornene and its derivatives such as 5- carbomethoxy-norborene, S-phenyl-Z-norborene, 2-norbornene-S-carboxylic acid, 2-hydroxymethyl-Smorbornene, exo-dicyclopentadiene, endo-dicyclopentadiene, 5- methyl-5-carbomethoxy-2-norbornene, trans-dimethyl bicyclo[2,2,1]-hept-5-ene-2,3 dicarboxylate, exo-dihydrodicyclopentadiene, trans-5,6-dichlorobicyclo[2,2,1J-hept- 2-ene, and endo-cis-S,6-dichlorobicyclo[2,2,IJ-hept-Z-ene; andcyclic dienes such as 1,3-cyclohexadiene. The complexes are effective catalysts in bulk, solution and emulsion polymerization systems.

When using the present complexes as catalysts in a solution polymerization system, the solvent employed should be an inert solvent in which both the iridium halide complex and the monomer are soluble. Appropriate solvents include halocarbons, such as methylene chloride and chloroform; alcohols, such as ethanol and butanol; and aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene and toluene. When using the present complexes as catalysts. in an emulsion polymerization system, the emulsifier employed may be a nonionic or anionic emulsifier such as those commonly used in the emulsion polymerization of diene rubbers.

The iridium complexes of the present invention have been found to be effective catalysts for the monomers previously described. The present complexes are more effective catalysts in terms of rate of reaction than catalysts such as iridium salts which have previously been employed as catalysts in the polymerization of this type of monomer. Polymerization rates up to 9,000 grams per hour per gram of catalysts have been achieved using the present complex.

The present catalyst is also more versatile in that it can be used in bulk, solution and emulsion polymerization systems and is used without a reducing agent as a catalyst activator necessary when using the iridum salts as catalysts.

In employing the present complexes as polymerization catalysts, the polymerization may be performed at a temperature of from 0 to C., with a preferred temperature range of from 20 to 50 C.

The amount of catalysts employed in the polymerization reaction is not critical as it will be realized by those skilled in the art that the rate of reaction is directly dependent on the amount of catalyst present. Amounts of the iridium halide complex as low as 1 part by weight per 10,000 parts by weight of monomer have been success fully employed to obtain polymers. There is no particular advantage in using more catalyst than will dissolve in the solvent. This amount is on the order of 1 part by weight of catalyst per 10 parts by weight of monomer.

The polymerization time is again not critical and is largely a matter of choice based on the reactivity of the catalyst for the specific monomer. Polymerization times from about 0.01 hours to hours have been employed.

The amount of solvent employed in the solution polymerization system is not critical. The iridium halide complexes will function with no solvent, a bulk system, as well as with a solvent. The particular amount of solvent employed will depend on such factors as obtaining a reaction product within a desired viscosity range as would permit sufficient agitation using conventional equipment.

When using the iridium halide complex to obtain the polymer as a latex, the amount of emulsifier employed is usually from 1 to 10 percent of emulsifier based on the weight of the water in the system, with a preferred range of about 2.5 to 5 percent on the same basis.

In order to more fully describe the instant invention, the following examples are set forth. In the following examples. Examples 1-6 show the preparation of the iridium halide cycloolefin complex of the present invention. Examples 7-13 show the use of complex as a polymerization catalyst.

The following abbreviations are used in the examples: g., grams; ml., milliliters; EtOH, ethyl alcohol; Abs EtOH, Absolute ethyl alcohol; soln., solution. Nacconal NRSF is a sodium alkyl benzene sulfonate emulsifier. Pluronic F-68 is a monionic emulsifier, a copolymer of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide. The specific gravity of 1,5-cyclooctadiene is 0.881 and the specific gravity of cyclooctene is 0.849.

EXAMPLE 1 The following recipes, sealed in glass tubes, were slowly agitated on a thermostated bath held at 50, for 90 hours. The tubes were cooled to room temperature and opened. Each tube contained a solid, which was removed by filtration, and washed with a small amount of methanol. The filtrate consisted of two liquid phases. The

good ratio among reactants, as E produced, instead of (IrClC H the insoluble complex (IrHCl C H Analysis.E: C, 26.08; H, 3.71; Cl. 18.24.

EXAMPLE 4 This sample was prepared as in Example 1, with the exception that the reaction time was 66 hours.

II'C13 g H2O [l'l1.. EtOH ml 20 1,5-cyclooctadiene ml 2 Yield, g. of solid 0.26

EXAMPLE This example shows typical conditions for formation of the iridium chloride-cyclooctene complex as listed in the following table.

PREPARATION OF IRIDIUM X IITIES RDE-CYOLOOCTENE COMPLEX 11013-415120, g 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Abs EtOH, ml. 7. 5 7. 5 20 5 7. 5 7. 5 7. 5 H1O, m1 12. 5 12. 5 0 12.5 10 12.5 12. 5 cyclooctene, ml 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 Reaction time, days 6 4 4 3 3 3 3 3 Yield, g 1.488 1.35 0.00 0.12 0.22 0. 43 0. 33 0.19

smaller, redd1sh phase was separated, and to it was added EXAMPLE 6 methanol. The solid which precipitated was then isolated by fiIt ti 35 This example shows the preparation of the iridium A B o D E F IrCl3-4H2O, g 2 2 2 2 2 2 1,5-eye1ooctad1ene, m1 2. 0 2. 0 3. 0 3. o 3. 0 3. 0

Chloroform, ml. 0.5 0.5 1.0 5.0

Yield, solid, g--. 0. 979 0. 919 0. 878 0. 723 0. 551

1n filtrate, g M P Sample E was analyzed, giving the following results:

Ananlysis calculated for (IrClC H C, 28.61; H, 3.60; Cl, 10.56. Mol. wt. 672. Found: C, 28.79; H, 3.56; CI. 10.21. Mol. wt. 589.

bromide complex of the present invention. The reaction temperature was C.

EXAMPLE 2 g3r 4%2 g 1 1 t The following were prepared as In Example 1, w1th the Hzt xmlfln? g g exception that the reaction time was 68 hours: cyclmtme, 1

1,5-eyelooetad1ene, m1.. 1 Reaction time, hrs.- 162 162 A B C Yield, g 0. 435 0.332

E ogarpo, 2 2 2 1 ,m 15 15 15 Abs EtOH 5 5 5 EXAMPLE 7 1,5 -eyclooctadiene, ml. 1. 5 2. 0 3. 0 1 10015011515 0- 3? 9- 7 3 9 33 T1118 example shows the polymerization of norbornene by 1r1d1um chloride cyclooctene in solution and bulk (E).

A B o D E F G H 005 005 005 005 005 005 .025 5 10 10 10 50 50 100 CsHs CsHs EtQH None CsHs C5115 0511s 20 200 200 2 200 300 1. 0 1. 0 1. 0 1. 0 90 990 3 days 25 76 96 50 50 50 0. 063 0.166 0. 024 0. 747 3. ss 6. 13 75. 7 Conversion, 757 1, 990 288 s, 955 518 59 40 EXAMPLE 3 EXAMPLE 3 The following examples were prepared as in Example 2, with the exception that A and B were reacted for 41 hours, and that B, C, and D were reacted for 113 hours. This example shows the importance of maintaining a This example shows the emulsion polymerization of norbornene by iridium chloride cyclooctene complex at A B o D A B fiiiii'fihQI: if; ".919? iit iiffiiifiiti 33 "'33 ..?:.i Nacconal NRS'F, g 0. 5 5 N orbornadiene, m 5 5 5 1120, ml 20 20 200 200 Temperature, C... 50 50 50 Norbornene, g 10 100 100 5 Reaction time, hrs 18 90 18 Reaction time, hrs. 2 2 15.8 69. 5 Polymer yield, g .i 0.051 0.136 0. 209 Polymer yield, g... 7. 77 8. 19 19. 22 a. 01 Yield, gJg. cat 777 819 1, 922 1, 505 Conv./g.-hr./g.cat 388.5 409.5 121 22 EXAMPLE 13 This example shows the polymerization of 1,3-cyclo- EXAMPLE 9 10 hexadiene to a polymer with proper-ties and an infrared This example Shows the emulsion polymerization of spectrum similar to polycyclohexadiene described by C. norbornene by complexes of iridium bromide at 50. ggg and Hartzeni Chem- 81, 449

A B A 0 05 a 12)2, g. iifiiiiflfifiitiisra'g: -3:3: "bibs EtOH, NacconolNRSF,g 0-38 -33 1,3 cyclohexad1ene, ml. 5 g?5 ,i{ 10 10 Reaction temperature, C. 50 Time, hrs 5 0 Reaction time, hrs. 114 m, ,7i,;:.g-5it;::: 3hr hi Polymer weld, g 01029 In view of the many changes and modifications that may be made without departing from the principles underlying EXAMPLE 10 the invention, reference should be made to the appended claims for an understanding of the scope of the protection This example shows the polymer zation of norbornene afforded the invention. y s i2)2 under va'l'lous condltlons- Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is: 1. A composition of matter having the formula A B G D E [I-rX (R where is a halogenselected from the group consistlng of chlorine and bromine, R is a cyclic olefin iii ii gi '98 M05 0-005 radical selected from the group consisting of C H and 11,0, fimQIIIIIIII "i6 "iii IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII C8H14 and y is 1 when R is C H and 2 when R is C H Plgi o ai g g gas. 0 5 0 5 u 2. The composition of claim 1 in which X is chlorine, Sn( 31z-2Hz0 0:1 R is c 11,, and y is 1. h 15 15 3. The composition of claim 1 in which X is chlorine, N orbornene, g 3 3 3 5 5 Polymerization R 15 s 14 and y 1 S p-if 5 50 50 24 24 4. The composition of claim 1 in which X is bromine,

s5 65 e5 10 min. 1.0 R is C H and y is 1. o y yiekig 0-0006 10293 5. The composition of claim 1 in which X is bromine,

R is C8H14 and y is 2.

6. A process of preparing a cycloolefiin iridium halide complex comprising reacting a hydrated iridium halide F G H I J 5 selected from the group consisting of iridium trichloride (newsman, g 0.05 M5 M5 0.05 Q05 and iridium tribromide with a cyclic olefin selected from EtOH, ml 10 the group consisting of 1,5-cyclooctadrene and cyclooctene fig in an aqueous solution of ethanol, said iridium halide benzene s111i0nate 0.5 0.5 being present in said solution at a concentration of less filiifsiiiahs'rijijiii 2 '"id than 25% by Weight- Poi merightion r 7. The process of claim 6 in which the iridium halide gfgg g g- 50 is iridium trichloride and the cycloolefin is cyclooctene. hrs 18 18 18 17 18 8. The process of claim 6 in which the iridium halide Polymer yie1d,g 0-8 0-812 0-548 is iridium trichloride and the cycloolefin is 1,5-cyclooctadiene. EXAMPLE 111 9. The process of claim 6 in which the iridium halide is iridium tribromide and the cycloolefin is cyclooctene. T i x mp shows the polymerization of a 10. The process of claim 6 in which the iridium halide Stifllted HOYbOIIIeIIe, 5-0aTb0mflh0XY nolbol'neneis iridium itribromide and the cycloolefin is 1,5-cyclo- 6O octadiene.

11. A process for polymerizing an olefin monomer A B selected from the group consisting of bicyclic diolefins, bicyclic olefins, substituted bicyclic olefins and cyclic iitgig fiiifii dienes which comprises contacting said monomer with a gig g g 5g catalyst, said catalyst having the formula (IrX(R) fi-carbomethoxynorbornne, ml 1.8 1.8 where X is a halogen selected from the group consisting g g% gi- 2 of chlorine and bromine, R is a cyclic olefin radical se- Polymer yield, g ..'....III .i 0.835 1.09 lected from the group consisting of C H and C H and y is 1 when R is C H and y is 2 when R is C H 12. The process of claim 11 in which the olefin monomer is norbornene. EXAMPLE 12 13. The process of claim 11 in which the olefin mono- This example shows the polymerization of norbornmer is norbornadiene. adiene to a polymer which gives a crystalline X-ray dif- 14. The process of claim 11 in which the olefin monofraction pattern. mer is S-carbomethoxy norbornene.

15. The process of claim 11 in which the olefin monomer is 1,3-cyc1ohexadiene.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,336,275 8/1967 Michelotti 26093.1 3,367,924 2/1968 Rinehart 26093.1

JOSEPH L. SCHOFER, Primary Examiner.

L. EDELMAN, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

